The Long Beach Hospitality Alliance, which was a vocal opponent of Claudia’s Law, said hotels have mandated training programs for employees on sexual assault, human trafficking and self defense. Claudia’s Law ultimately was voted down 5-4 by the city council, with concerns over some definitions within the ordinance and unionized hotels being able to opt out of the law pointed to by members who sided against it.

“The hospitality industry in Long Beach has for years placed safety and the well being of our employees as a priority of doing and staying in business,” said LBHA member and Senior Vice President of the Long Beach Area Chamber of Commerce Jeremy Harris. “We believe our track record speaks for itself. We invite others that say different, to sit down with us so they can learn more about our operations and the resources we provide to ensure our employees are the safest they can be.”

Harris said LBHA has also partnered with WomenShelter of Long Beach to train hospitality leaders and employees on the signs of domestic violence and resources. Two trainings are scheduled in February.

“Last year, Mayor Robert Garcia and Long Beach City Council ignored the voices of working women in Long Beach hotels,” Coalition member Zoe Nicholson stated. “Instead, they gave excuses as to why a policy that protects workers from sexual assault and inhumane workloads was not ‘sound public policy.’ Now we have an opportunity to let Long Beach voters do the right thing and stand with these women and protect them from abuse.”